Tray



Patented Jan. 18, 1949 I UNITED STATES PATENT 4 OFFICE This invention relates to improvements in trays and particularly to an improved tray adapted to be mounted inside of an automobile body and supported from a body fixture.

While trays adapted to be supported on the body structure of an automobile and particularly on the inner side of an automobile door to extend inwardly of the door have been previously proposed, these previously proposed devices have been expensive, heavy, diflicult to place in proper operative position and difiicult to adjust so that they will be substantially level when attached to the body structure.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive tray which is light in weight and can be quickly and easily attached in operative position to extend inwardly of an automobile body, which requires no adjustment of its mechanism in order to bring it to a substantially level condition and which at the same time provides a firm and rigid support for articles placed thereon.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figur 1 is a perspective view of a tray illustrative of the invention shown in operative position attached to the inner side of a door of an automobile body.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the tray illustrated in Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

With continued reference to the drawing the improved simplified tray comprises a sheet III of material such as heavy carboard or light metal having a major fiat portion II with an intermediate portion I2 at one edge thereof folded up to a position in which it is substantially perpendicular to the major portion I I and a fiap portion I3 folded downwardly toward the major por tion II from the edge of the intermediate portion I2 remote from the portion II. The major portion II is provided with two apertures I 4 and I5 located one at each outer comer thereof and with two apertures I6 and I! located close together near the center thereof, and the folded over fiap portion I3 is provided with two apertures I8 and I9 located one near each end thereof. A cord or strand has one end knotted, as indicated at 2| in Figure 3, and is then passed through the aperture la, the aperture H, the aperture I6, the aperture H, the aperture I5 and the aperture I9 where its end is provided with a knot similar to 2 Claims. (Cl. 31122 the knot 2 I. Thiscord thus provides two raised portions located oneat each end of the major portion II and a loop 22 inthe central area of the portion II. I

A plurality of pins, as indicated at 23, 24 and 25, are secured to the under surface of the portion I I along the line where the portion I2 is folded up- Wardly, these pins being attached to a reinforcing strip 26 Which is in turn attached to the undersurface of the tray portion II.

In placing the tray in operative position, the window crank handle 21 of the automobile door is first turned to a position in which it extends vertically downward. The loop 22 is then fitted over the knob 28 of the Window handle, the tray portion I I is brought to a substantially level position and the tray is then moved towards the door to force the pins 23, 24 and 25 into the upholstery of the door. The tray will then be supported by the door handle and the pins in a substantially level condition inside of the door. The intermediate portion I2 of the tray bears against the inner surface of the door to assist in maintaining the tray in proper position and the folded over flap portion I 3 bears against the handle 21 to assist in adjusting the tray to the particular arrangement of the window handle and the door. The cord or strand 20 holds up the outer edge of the tray portion I I transmitting the loads imposed by the weight of articles on the tray to the portion I3 which in turn transfers them to the handle 21.

The tray is thus firmly and rigidly supported on the door handle which has adequate strength for this purpose, and the pins 23, 24 and 25 serve only as safety devices to prevent the tray from accidently tilting about its support between the loop 22 and the lower end of the door handle.

There is thus provided an extremely simple and inexpensive tray which is easily attached in operative position and provide a strong and rigid support for articles placed thereon.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A tray arranged to be mounted on the inner side of a vehicle door having a window operating handle comprising a rectangular piece of sheet through said apertures to provide a brace betweenr each outer corner of said article supporting por=- tion and the corresponding ends of said flap portion and a window handle engaging loop in thecentral area of said article supportingvportiony and pins secured to the under surface of said article supporting portion in position to project outwardly beyond the fold between said article supporting portion and; said intermediate portion.

2. A tray arranged to be mounted on the inner side of a vehicle door. having a window-operating handle comprising a rectangular piece ;of sheet material including an article-supporting portion, an intermediate portion folded along one edge of said article-supporting portion to a position substantially perpendicular thereto, and a flap portion folded along the outer edge of said inter- 4 mediate portion toward said article-supporting portion, said article supporting portion having an aperture in each outer corner thereof and a pair of closely-spaced apertures in the central area thereof, a cord secured at its ends to the opposite ends of said flap portion and extending through the apertures in the outer corners of said articlesupporting portion and through the apertures in theic'entral'area oi said article-supporting portion to provide arespective brace between each outer corner of :said article-supporting portion and the corresponding end of said flap portion and a win- ;dow-handle engaging loop in the central area of said article-supporting portion, and fabric-engaging-elements secured to the under-surface of theed -ge of said article-supporting portion from which said intermediate portion extends.

- STEVE M. MABRY.

REFERENCES CITED Tl'ie following references are of-rec'ord 'inthe file of thispatent: r V

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name a 4 Date 1,487,475' Ribyat Mar. 18'; 1924 2,091,868 7 Mattson nus Aug. 31, 1937 

